In the company's new Techsurvey10, Jacobs Media looked at a very fundamental question that impacts every radio station in America: How do you wake up in the morning?

For many long-time radio professionals, the answer would seem obvious: the trusted nightstand clock radio.

But the reality is that a plurality of North Americans in TS10 wake up with their phones - especially to ring tones and sounds. The traditional clock radio, blaring a radio morning show, is now a distant second.

Note that hardly any respondents wake up to a mobile phone playing a radio station stream, signaling a major opportunity for brands with a prominent morning show.

Wake-up patterns are highly generational. In fact, while Gen Xers, Boomers, and those in the Silent Generation are more apt to be traditional risers with a clock radio, the younger groups - Gen Y and Gen Z - rely on their phones for getting them out of bed.

This data strongly suggests that broadcast stations need mobile strategies that include alarm clock/streaming functions in station apps. Or at the very least, ring tones featuring the station morning show. The digital age has disrupted many things - including the media and gadgets that consumers use to wake up. Over time, this may already be having a profound effect on broadcast radio morning ratings.